Soyer's Culinary Campaign: Being Historical Reminiscences of the Late War.: With The Plain Art of Cookery for Military and Civil Institutions

Shortly after he bade me adieu, and, accompanied by his staff, left the ground. At this time I much regretted not having had the opportunity of paying my duty to one of the generals in command, as it would have closed, in a most _apropos_ manner, the last page of this work, my “Culinary Campaign;” but, thanks to my star, an hour after the termination of the proceedings, while walking along Piccadilly towards my residence, a friend’s voice behind me exclaimed--“Halloo, Monsieur Soyer!” On turning round, who, to my astonishment, should I perceive, mounted on his Balaklava charger, and followed by his aide-de-camp, but the very gallant general whose absence I had just been regretting. It was no other than Lord William Paulet, who was turning the corner to enter his chambers in the Albany. “I have,” exclaimed his lordship, “been looking out everywhere for you, having learned from Sir Colin Campbell that you were upon the ground.” “So have I been looking for you, my lord, and with great anxiety, but unfortunately I was deprived of the pleasure of meeting you.” “By-the-bye, Soyer, I saw your portrait in the historical Scutari painting, by Barrett, this morning at Buckingham Palace, and I consider it an excellent likeness.” “I am glad you think so, my lord, and for my part I consider the whole of the picture remarkably well executed. At the same time allow me to inform your lordship, that as you are so near home, I should have been very sorry to have had the pleasure of meeting you in the Park.” “Why so, Soyer?” remarked his lordship, leaning over his charger, and still retaining my hand in his. “Well, my lord, the reason is simple. Having so prosperously commenced my culinary campaign under your command and very kind assistance, while your lordship was Brigadier-general of Scutari, nothing could be more in accordance with my wishes than that the last page of a work which I am now about completing, in anticipation of perpetuating the style of cookery introduced by me both at Scutari and in the camp before